The Presidents of the United States and China Will Meet in San Francisco

On Wednesday, November 15, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, will meet with Xi Jinping, the President of China, for the first time in a year. The meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and China will take place amid escalating tensions between the two global superpowers and on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, attended by delegations from both countries. Senior officials in the Biden administration have stated that it is expected that global issues ranging from the war between Israel and Hamas to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea-Russia relations, Taiwan, the Pacific region, human rights, fentanyl drugs, artificial intelligence, and also "fair" trade and economic relations will be discussed. Reuters reported, citing a senior U.S. official who wished to remain anonymous, that all topics will be on the table during this meeting. He noted the "failure" of efforts to shape or reform China over recent decades, stating, "We expect China to remain on the global stage for the rest of our lives." U.S. officials, who have called for this meeting in recent months, believe that Beijing is actively seeking to undermine U.S. policy worldwide. One of the major outcomes expected from the upcoming meeting between the U.S. and Chinese leaders is a promise for further negotiations on key issues including climate change, global health, economic stability, drug trafficking, and the resumption of military communication channels between the two countries. Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have known each other for over a decade and have engaged in hours of discussions during six direct interactions since Biden's presidency. Both leaders will meet with suspicion and dissatisfaction towards each other. Other likely topics of discussion during the Biden-Xi meeting will include China's "influence operations" in the elections of other countries and the necessity of freeing unjustly detained American citizens in China. An American official told Reuters that Biden will discuss America's unwavering commitment to the Pacific region and the security of the Philippines with Xi. Biden is also expected to address the irrationality of escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Iran's role in it. The U.S. and its allies are simulating ground military operations in the Pacific region. Blinken in Seoul: The U.S. is concerned about the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. A proposal from American lawmakers to counter China's evasion of sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Bloomberg: Biden received a report on "China's efforts to establish a military base in Oman." Japan: We will cooperate with the U.S. and the Philippines in protecting the South China Sea.